Tag Archives: organic

{foto friday : “snake melon”}

17 Oct

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have you ever seen such a thing?  i sure hadn’t… but thanks to my awesome new job, i have been exploring all kinds of new produce.  this is called a “snake melon” but also formally known as an “armenian cucumber.”  the one i bought looks kind of like a question mark… yeah?

these interesting melons can grow up to 3-feet long!  and did you know that all cucumbers are melons?!  i sure didn’t.  something else new i learned, recently.  makes sense, though – right?!

😉

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this cucumber was more like a melon, for sure.  had a similar texture to an english cucumber, but with a little less “crispness” and a much sweeter flavour.  not too sweet, but noticeably different than a regular cucumber.  i totally chowed down on some!  i hope you all get the chance to, as well!  😉

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{homemade sauerkraut}

13 Oct

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i’ve been wanting to try to make my own sauerkraut for a while now… as i’ve mentioned in the past, i’ll get on these kicks where i’m all like, “i can make that!” and i think that i can make TIME multiply and have more of it so i can actually MAKE all the stuff i say i can make… silly me.

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anyway, luckily this whole sauerkraut making process is super easy and not nearly as time consuming as one may think.  well, the actual “making” of it takes a little while, but preparing it does not.  it’s quite fun, too. you get your hands involved and you get to “play” with your food, which i always enjoy. 😉  plus, it’s oktoberfest!! and i’m part german, so it’s high time i learn how to make this amazing stuff so every october i can eat it. just kidding, that’s not my only motive.  sauerkraut is one of the oldest fermented foods out there.  and it’s one of those things that is actually pretty inexpensive to make on your own, but for whatever reason, can be kind of expensive to buy. this small batch didn’t cost me much. i had the salt at home, and this head of organic cabbage was $2. it’s loaded with probiotics and because it’s cabbage, it naturally contains a prebiotic as well. it’s just really awesome stuff. we should all eat more sauerkraut… in my humble opinion.

i digress.

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as i said, the process is very simple.  and so are the ingredients :

– one medium head of cabbage {organic, if possible}

– 1 1/2 tbsp salt {i chose himalayan pink salt}

– large glass container or fermenting crock {as clean as you can get it}

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begin by quartering cabbage and then chopping into “ribbons.”  add salt and begin to work in the salt using your hands.  this is the fun part.  you can literally {with clean hands, of course} squish and squeeze the cabbage all around. this will eventually cause the cabbage to wilt from working the salt in.

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it’s quite amazing how it works, and it’s just oh-so-fun. Continue reading →

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{foto friday : for the love of leeks}

10 Oct

i recently had a random and brief discussion with a stranger about leeks.  he mentioned that leeks are prominent in french cooking, which i found intriguing.  he also said something like, “they have a lot of some magic property that is super good for you…”  which made me giggle… and which i later discovered was polyphenol – the super antioxidant we all love so much.

i’ve always been attracted to leeks, though i never really cook with them much.  i want to start using leeks more often in the food and foto kitchen.

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i plan to add them in a frittata… yum!  which actually, i do believe i’ve done before…

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{beautiful and colourful cherry tomatoes}

13 Aug

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i can’t seem to get enough of these gorgeous locally-grown organic and adorable cherry tomatoes, lately…

i fotograph and write about these amazing little gems all the time… i just think they are so beautiful!  and they are so incredibly delicious! so flavourful and juicy! i just pop ’em in my mouth like candy… nature’s candy!

nom nom…

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and i put them in everything – my salads, my risotto, my frittatas, my sauces, my {awesome} zucchini strips…

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these little red ones look kinda like strawberries… teehehe

FOOD IS SO COOL!!!!! 😀

 

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{awesome artichokes}

9 Jul

i just find artichokes to be fascinating and beautiful…

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{farm-fresh, multi-coloured, organic speckled eggs}

26 Jun

i think it’s so amazing and interesting – how our bodies speak to us.

i find it so interesting how our dietary needs can shift and change over the years, also.  for example – i never liked eggs much when i was younger… and over the last 3-5 years i’ve just been love love loving them!  i can’t seem to get enough eggs.  luckily, i’m able to buy farm-fresh locally raised eggs which were fed a non-gmo organic diet – free of soy, too!  afterall, you eat what your food eats.  so i choose only organic dairy and meat products for this reason.

i’m so thankful i can purchase these {incredible, edible} eggs close to where i live!

——

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they are just beautiful… don’t you agree?!

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diversity is beautiful…

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uniqueness is beautiful…

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food is beautiful!!!

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{meaty monday : farm-to-table mini sliders}

19 May

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i am so blessed. i need to keep myself in check whenever i feel that i am anything otherwise.  

i live in this amazing place where i have access to amazing locally grown and produced food – including quality, pasture-raised, grass-fed, fresh beef.  now – some of you may be shaking your head at that word, reading it here on this ol’ blog – food and foto.  you’re probably like, “wait a second -i thought she was like, vegan or something!?  doesn’t she usually do meatless mondays?!” well, yes – yes i do.  and yes, for about four months once – i was vegan.

but dude, i’m not anything – i’m everything. and right now i’m really enjoying eating lots of grass-fed beef, butter, cheese, and dairy.  i can’t seem to get enough of it. i feel very blessed to have regular access to grass-fed beef products. have you ever had the pleasure of enjoying grass-fed beef?!  it simply doesn’t compare… it is just amazing!

while at my personal favourite market, i picked up some grass-fed beef produced from a local ranch where i live and was inspired to create these adorable mini-sliders.  nothing special about them, really – other than the fact that this meal is basically farm-to-table!  i just wanted to share the pictures and rave about how happy and grateful i am that i live in a place that values the ethical treatment of animals and provides availability of these great quality products to an equally-compassionate and educated foodie like myself! 😀 Continue reading →

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{sunday brunch for judi – and a very happy mothers day to EVERY WOMAN out there!}

11 May

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i miss my mama.  today and all week. i’ve missed her since april 14th of the year 1993.  this time of year is hard for me – i won’t sugar coat that. sometimes randomly, i’ll think of something that reminds me of her and it will be hard. it never gets easier. however, i find comfort when i spot a penny on the ground, or when i catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and do a “double take” because i look so much like her… and i find great comfort in knowing that i am now living in her favourite part of the world.  she was absolutely in love with these rocky mountains – and it’s an honor to live here… for her and for me.

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if my sweet mother judi were alive today – i would make her this simple and amazing brunch… which i’ve been eating every day for like a month now. i buy the ingredients from a local store here in town and it’s all organic, fresh, and farm-grown – you know, like how REAL FOOD SHOULD BE!!!! 😀

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sunday brunch for judi : 

– farm fresh organic eggs

– asparagus

– cippolini onions

– garlic

– bacon cubes

– colourful cherry tomatoes

– herbed goat cheese

– fresh fingerling potatoes

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this dish is perfect for one – what with my cute little ramekins and all… but i do have a second one, and would love NOTHING MORE today than to be cooking for my mama and using the other one.

i lined the bottom of my ramekin with avocado slices, to start… Continue reading →

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{thirsty thursday – baba black lager}

8 May

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this is by far my {newest} favourite beer ever! here are some reasons why :

#1.  it’s organic {at least according to USDA standards}

#2.  it’s DARK {i appreciate darkness, in more than just my beer}

#3.  it’s low-calorie {waistline-friendly libations are just fine in anyone’s book, right?!}

#4.  it’s low-alcohol {so i don’t feel guilty or wacky or whatever if i drink 2… or 6}

#5.  it’s locally made {kind-of… utah is actually closer to me than denver at this point}

#6.  it’s got a black sheep on the can {so, it’s more than fitting for me}

#7.  it’s totally delicious!!! 

have a great {responsible} weekend! 😀

 

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{sauteed sunchokes}

10 Mar

i have been wanting to try sunchokes {aka “jerusalem artichokes“} for a long time now. they are so interesting-looking {as most root vegetables are} and one time i bought a bag when i was doing a cleanse, but i didn’t get to cook them and unfortunately they spoiled.

so, when i was at the cutest little organic store in town the other day, i picked some up so i could fotograph and blog about them.

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and of course – EAT THEM! 😀

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{organic beef and potato lettuce wraps w/ caramelized shallots and fresh sugar snaps}

5 Mar

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this is one colourful dish! and fun to eat, too!

simple ingredients : 

– 1 pound organic grass-fed beef {i choose 85%}

– 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes {any potato will do, i just had leftovers}

– 1 medium shallot

– handful sugar snap peas, shelled

– artisan lettuce wraps

– organic shredded cheese of choice {i went with cheddar}

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{organic beef roast}

8 Jan

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i don’t eat a ton of red meat.  however when i do, i prefer it be as local, organic, and grass-fed as possible.

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have you ever had grass-fed beef?  you may think to yourself, “what do you mean, don’t all cows eat grass?” when you think of a cow, you picture a field or pasture and you see them eating grass, right?!  well, you may be surprised to know that most cows are actually fed a grain or corn-based diet – that stuff is in everything!… again, i encourage you to do your own research.

there is lots of fresh, organic, local, grass-fed beef where i live.  and that makes me so happy!  i have mentioned before that i don’t really subscribe to any “diet” per se – but if i had to pick a category to fall into, i would say my diet is totally intuitive and mostly organic.  and it varies all along that spectrum.  this time last year, i was totally vegan and coming off a major 2-week cleanse of only veggies, fruit, kombucha, and water. i remember around christmas, trying some of the ham at whole foods one day and i actually spit it out. and now, i can’t seem to eat enough meat!  so i’m just listening to my body and rolling with it.

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i recently bought this adorable little crock-pot, which is perfect for the tiny home, and it fits about a 2-pound roast just perfectly!  it only has one setting – ON. but it totally does the trick!

Continue reading →

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{organic golden kiwi}

22 Jul

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golden kiwis are not the same as regular green kiwis you see in the stores….. i mean, of course they aren’t, right?! – they’re being featured on food & foto 😉

originating in china, golden kiwis are now mostly from new zealand, and they blow regular kiwi out of the water!  {sorry, kiwi}

their thin skin is different from the regular kiwi – smooth and hairless with little freckles throughout.  they ripen just like regular kiwi, so look for one that slightly gives to the tender touch…

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the flavour is similar, but the golden kiwi boasts a less-acidic quality and taste. they have almost a pineapple flavour… and i just LOVE THEM!!! Continue reading →

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{fair trade & organic – ice box watermelon}

19 Jun

do you know how to pick out a good watermelon?!  … one that’s guaranteed to be ripe, juicy, and flavourful?!

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well, for one thing – to guarantee the flavour and ripeness, it’s important to begin with quality.

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i always opt for organic food {especially produce} when i can… organic produce is grown with more care, handled with more care, and therefore just plain tastes better… in my humble {and generally RIGHT} opinion 🙂

this sticker tells us that not only is this watermelon organic, but it’s fair trade. which {happily} means the farmers that grew this watermelon are paid a FAIR WAGE for their product and services.  this is extremely important to me also because i’m a collective thinker – i am grateful for that farmer who took time to grow this beautiful fruit for me to enjoy.  and i want him/her to get paid what they are worth for doing that service. fair trade kind of cuts out the middle man, if you will.  you can read more about fair trade products here. Continue reading →

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{vitamix juice w/ dates, pears, green lettuce}

31 May

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i threw a lot of random stuff in this one…. {choosing organic where possible}

– 1 small clementine, peeled

– 1/2 pear, stems and seeds included

– 2 pitted dates

– a few banana slices

– handful of romain lettuce

– orange juice

– almond milk

– some raw protein powder

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you just never know what colour to expect… but the taste is always amazing!

i’m a huge fan of using dates for sweetening.  usually all you need is one or two per 12 oz. serving.  they are inexpensive and the vitamix can handle it! just make sure to buy pitted dates!  the lettuce flavour was a little stronger in this compared to good ol’ spinach, but i had run out so i had to replace *something* green… 😉

have a great weekend!

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{vitamix smoothie w/ dehydrated fruit}

2 Apr

so yesterday i showed you that i made some dehydrated fruit, right… delicious mangos and honeycrisp apples – nom nom, right… well, may i just first comment on the difference in flavour from a fresh mango and a dehydrated one? i really believe the taste is very different. i mean they are both outstanding, i don’t have a favourite. but they do taste way different.
and i suppose that applies for apples, too… but mangos – i just love love love dried mangos! something about ’em…

i {barely} saved a few of each and threw some in with a smoothie that included frozen mixed berries, fresh spinach, 1/2 a banana, some orange juice, a little grape juice, splash of almond milk and some ground flax seeds.

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one is never really certain just what colour the smoothie will turn out. at least the way i do it sometimes… lots of colour in there, doesn’t always blend to the prettiest, but this turned out great! and a pretty dark reddish-purple. oh, and it was for sure delicious!

cheers!

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{light and fresh quinoa pasta}

21 Mar

happy first day of spring!  i got the fever, do you?!

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it seems like everywhere i look, i read and hear more about gluten-free products.  i have opinions about wheat and gluten and the heightened sensitivity sweeping our nation, but i’ll save them for a day when i decide to get on my soapbox again…

while i am not aware of any sensitivity to gluten personally, i have to admit i like eating gluten-free pasta a lot these days.  it’s much lighter compared to regular pasta and i just find it to be a great any-time food because of that. excellent for the spring season, as it’s waist-line approved!

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i am in love with this pasta from ancient harvest.  it’s made mostly from quinoa and corn.  i love their products – i also buy their polenta.  they use non-gmo corn and it’s also organic… and as i mentioned, gluten-free!  those are three big pluses in a packaged product for me! Continue reading →

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{foodie friday} — colourful “pey”tato casserole

28 Sep

sometimes “foto friday” morphs into “foodie friday” – and by sometimes i mean there is a first time for everything 🙂

it’s getting to be that time of year, when i just want to load up on comfort food like this and be lazy and gain 10 pounds of winter weight and not even sweat it — i’ll take it off in february.  for now, bring on the fireplace, the couch, and the spuds!

this is about as basic as it can get, though… of course, with a little audrey flair! Continue reading →

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thirsty thursday and foto friday – combined! {breakfast pizza and beer, nom nom}

3 Aug

pizza and beer, anyone?!

breakfast pizzas are popping up all over pinterest and blog sites alike, and i was so eager to try one of my own.  after 14 days of cleansing, i have been obviously rather ravenous lately.  carbs, bacon, eggs, and cheese were all that would suffice last weekend.  so, i made my own organic breakfast pizza and served it with a delicious farmhouse saison… you’re going to want to try this.  Continue reading →

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cherryfest! {and a big thank you!}

9 Jul

it’s cherry season!!!!!

it’s the best time to buy cherries right now – they are at their in-season peak and the price is right!  if i may – another push to get you to buy organic. cherries are on the dirty dozen list {as is most things you eat the skin with}, so it’s best to buy them organic if you can.  don’t be scared, when you buy items in season at their peak, you pay less, the taste and quality are better, and you are voting with your dollars!  OG cherries are typically 9-10 dollars a pound when bought in march or april when they start trickling in.  but if you buy them now, you’re going to pay a lot less – somewhere between 3-5 dollars a pound — and yes, for organic!  and if you can grab some from a farmers market, even better!!! or if you have a CSA buy-in, you may notice them arriving with your monthly shipment. yum – and you can totally freeze them. or make jams or syrups for your sodastream maker… Continue reading →

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